Need Some Advice

[Jorge10]

Ill start this thread with a short story. I recently transferred to a new college. When I transferred my friend who was already there quickly told me what he thought of everyone that was in my math class (only 6 people). My friend wasn’t in my advanced linear algebra class he was only in my advanced calculus class. He told me person A who appears later in the story was a hard worker. Half way through the semester me, my friend, person A, and another classmate are in the library doing some homework. We start to talk about cheating in school. I say I never considered cheating because I never had a class that was challenging enough to warrant it. My friend says the same thing. Then A goes into a rant about how good she is at cheating. She says she cheated her way through college and doesn’t know that much math. She is a math major that will graduate next semester. My friend is shocked because he thought she was a hard worker. It turns out she was really good at finding answers online or copying others.

I was in an advanced linear algebra class, which also had 6 students. I knew 2 of them and they didn’t know much of anything. Out of the other 3, 1 was very good and was number 1 by far in the class, while the other 2 were by far the worst in the class. I was probably number two in the class grades wise.

We had a take home final in the advanced linear algebra class. I never had a take home final before. About 3 days after I get the test (I had a week to do it) I get a call from someone in the class that wants to work on it with me. I say yes because I didn’t want to be a douche and say no since I know this person and we had worked on homework before, its person A from my previous story. Then the next day I get an email from another person in the class saying the same thing as person A, let’s call this person B. I had never really talked to person B much, which made his email even more surprising.

We end up working on the exam together. One of my answers looks similar to the answer given by person A and the teacher calls us out on it. Only 1 out of the 5 problems was exactly the same. Person A calls me crying saying she is going to get kicked out of school and that she has a kid (she does) and blah blah blah. I am the youngest person in the class and the only one without kids.

If it matters a few days after the teacher called us out on the similar answers, person A went and talked to the teacher and basically told him I was the cheater without telling me. I just got an email from the teacher accusing me.

Yes I know I shouldn’t have helped anyone. Yes I know I didn’t need them. In fact they brought nothing to the table. I just have a hard time saying no when people ask for help. Person B was just an older dude in the class who seemed to need help. No I don’t know how he didn’t get caught; my guess is that he is good at changing his answers slightly.

So what are your thoughts people? I am thinking of taking the blame for this and letting person A off the hook because she has a kid and she seemed sincere when she was crying. She was also one semester away from graduating. Am I insane? I know I went against the rules because you weren’t supposed to discuss the test with others, but feel free to point out my stupidity as I deserve it. I just don’t know what to do right now…

My options are:
1) Take the blame and get an F in the class, with about a 1% chance of getting kicked out of school.
2) Deny it and turn it into my word against hers. I don’t know where this would lead.
3) Other.

[adsman]

I don't know what to tell you about the exam situation, but I sure feel sorry for her kid.

[solids]

wow. the reason you risked your neck while getting nothing in return is beyond me. cheating is typically a very serious matter in college. grow some balls and just say no next time.

at this point, i guess i would just deny, deny, deny. they copied off of you, and are now throwing you under the bus? [censored] that.

edit: quick question to the OP. is this one of those situations where you are basically screwed either way? if so, i'd just bite the bullet and take the blame i guess. no reason to screw over both of you.

[Grunch]

Take the blame.

[mosdef]

1. Don't do take home assignments jointly with self-professed cheating experts.

2. Tell the prof the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Explain your side in full and explain what you think should happen. After that it's out of your hands.

You're not helping Cheaty McCheater girl any by facilitating her bad behaviour.

[almostbusto]

i'd go with the truth. so basically what you told us presumably.


i am a math major too. i also have no friends, at least no friends who take math classes in college, it makes classes significantly harder since there are a core of students in most classes that all work to together on everything. its really annoying and in my opinion unethical. i guess what i am saying is, i hope that chick goes down hard. good luck

[Jorge10]

If I tell the truth, then I throw the old dude under the bus. He has a kid too and he is not a bad person. He is not much of a cheater either. I think he didnt get caught because he tried to do a lot of it by himself. I think he just wanted me there for support, not so much to copy me straight up or anything really bad. I dont really want to throw him under the bus.

I hate take home tests now.

[TiK]

[ QUOTE ]
i'd go with the truth. so basically what you told us presumably...i guess what i am saying is, i hope that chick goes down hard. good luck

[/ QUOTE ]

Screw person A. Especially because she's already thrown you under the bus by blaming it all on you.

[Dids]

Tell the truth. They should have known the risks involved, don't feel bad for them if they [censored] up.

[adsman]

I'm just wondering, in this situation how could only one person be the cheater? Is person A saying that you stole her work without her knowing and that she magically found out about it when the prof bailed her up?